The pictures shows two rentals - one new built in the 70s and the other one built approximately 300 years ago.
Both house types have similar lifestyle values in terms of heating, insulation and comfort. European housing standards do not differentiate between rental and owner-occupied homes. Incentives are focused on energy efficiency and environmental benefits (with England, I am not sure, I see similarities to NZ or AU).
For instance my parents have been renting a 3-bedroom flat in one of the picturesque houses for more than 30 years. Their house has been upgraded and modernized every 10-15 years with moderate rent increases. “Green” investments in housing were already 25 years ago tax-free for the first year as incentives.
Consider this—if the finance industry in NZ would not only own the securities on NZ’s homes but also tax regulated support finance for upgrading dated homes, as it is at my parent’s place, then the housing stock would be in a much better shape.
Housing policies have failed and WOF and finger pointing to landlords won’t upgrade any homes soon, thought.
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